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Oct. 2 1923. 1,469,505

w. D. GIDDINGS DRAWBAR FOR VEHI CLES Filed April a. 1922 Patented Oct. 2, 1923.

UNITED STATES.

WILLIAM D. GIDDINGS, ,0F FORT PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA.

'DRAWBAR non VEHICLES.

v'Applicatit'm filed April 8, 1922. Serial No. 550,744.

To all whoml t may concern.' v

Be it known that I, VILLTAM D. GID- DINes, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Pierre, in the county oi' Stanley and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drawbars for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a draw-bar for vehicles and more Vparticularly to a draw-V bar by means of which one automobile may be towed behind another and the rear automobile rendered self-steering.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth vin the detailed description which follows.

ln the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the draw-bar constructed in accordance with the invention showing the same associated with the rear axle of one automobile and the front axle of another automobile;

Fig. 2 is a side elevatio-n o't the draw-bar with the axles of the vehicles shown in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the front axle of the rear automobile; and

F ig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view upon line 4-4 oi' Fig. 3.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing 5 designates the rear axle of a front or towing automobile and 6 the front axle of an automobile to be towed. The draw-bar comprises a iilling block 7 which is bound by rivets or bolts 8 between straps 9 and 10. These straps diverge at their front ends, as indicated at 11 and 12 and at their front extremities are secured by clamps 13 to the axle 5. It desired, chains 14 may be extended `forwardly from the clamps 13 and attached to the front axle (not shown) of the front automobile. However, this .is not essential. lhen employed the chains 14 distribute the pulling strain between the front and rear axles of the front automobile. VThe rear portions of the-straps 9 and 10 are brought together at 15 and are then bent at right angles to form flat horizontal portions 16-16-,which portions are mounted for lateral rocking movement in a hanger clamp consisting ot a flat plate 17, vertical bolts 18 and abottoin plate 19. Nuts 20 upon the upper ends of the bolts 18 provide means 'for binding the hanger clamp upon the axle 6 but the bottom plate 19 is limited in its movement toward the underside ot the axle 6 by the presence of lilling blocks 21, see Fig. 4. These lling blocks l have arcuate faces l2 against which the side edges of the portions 16M-16a act. A strap L3 is secured by bolts or other fastening devices 24 to the underside of the portions 16-1Ga and moves therewith. blocks 25 are disposed between this strap and the portionla and these iilling blocks have arcuate faces 2G which act against the adiacente edges of the bottom plate 19, though it is to be understood that there is suiiicient play between these lilling blocks and the edges ot said plate 19 to permit of the part 1G rocking laterally between the betteln plate and the underside of the axle 6. This lateral rocking movement is utilized to e'tlect a steering of the rear automobile. To this end the parts 16-16a are reduced to "form a tongue 27 which projects through a staple-like element 28, said element being carried by a clamp 29 which is clamped upon the laterally extending steering rod 30 of the rear automobile. Thus if the 'front automobile mturns to the right the forward part ot the draw-bar will be drawnI toward the right and the reduced portion 27 will be rocked toward the left. This will turn the front or steering wheels 6 oi the rear automobile in a direction to cause the rear vehicle to track behind the front vehicle. It is particularly to be noted that the tilling blocks with their arcuate iiaces provide a structure whereby what is in eiiect a pivotal mounting of the parts 16-16 with respect to the axle 6 is eftested but this without the necessity of drilling a hole in said axle or otherwise changing the construction of the same.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction setorth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within either the terms or the spirit of the appended claim.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

Tn a draw-bar construction the combination with means ior attaching the forward end of the draw-bar to a vehicle, a clamp adapted to be clamped upon the front axle ot a vehicle to be towed and comprising a part lying above said axle and a part lying below said axle, filling blocks between the ,ruling between the axle and the part of the clamp' which lies below 'the axle and the edges of which portlon act against 'said arcuate faces,

y Yan extension upon the rear end of the'drawbar, a clamp adapted to be secured to the steering lod of an automobile to be towed` anda part `Carried by ad Clamp for engag- 10 ing the extension of the rear end of the draw-bar` Y Y Y In testimony whereof I ax my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

\ WILLIAM D. GIDDINGS.

Witnesses: Y e

Y GEORGE T. MORGAN,

JOHN MoPHEn'soN. f 

